“Please save me Mir…,” Taemin cried, revolted by the disgusting people touching his body.

There was a devastating banging noise and his breath hitched, eyes bursting open. He sat up, supporting his shaking body with equally shaky arms.

“I told you that not everyone here is nice!” Onew shouted, dropping the metal pole and crouching down, offering a hand to Taemin. “If Jonghyun hadn’t spoken about this place, no one could’ve come to save you.”

Taemin still couldn’t speak, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly. This wasn’t his knight-in-shining-armor. This wasn’t his Mir. But he had been begging to be saved maybe Mir had sent this angel? Since he couldn’t come save him personally, he must’ve sent this odd teacher. Yes, that had to be it. Mir was protecting him no matter what happened.

“It’s okay now Taemin,” Onew smiled, waving his outstretched hand, “come on, get up! I seriously didn’t hit those guys very hard.” He glanced nervously at the groaning and college students.

“I – I can’t,” he stammered trying to indicate his quivering body, “I can’t stand up…”

There was a second’s quiet before Onew started laughing and then turned around, “Okay, hop on, I’ll carry you.”

Taemin tentatively reached out, immediately feeling the cold being devoured by warmth. His legs hooked around the man’s waist, chest pressing against backside. “Why did you come?” he asked as they began moving away from the deserted alley.

Bright silver stars twinkled overhead, accompanied by the glowing crescent in the sky and a mind-cleansing spring breeze. Taemin sighed, resting his forehead against the teacher’s shoulder.

“Did someone slip something into your drink?” Onew inquired after a minute of silence.

“Yeah…I think so,” he muttered, the night air slowly making the ringing and fogginess fade, “I didn’t know what was going on. They just wouldn’t stop.”

“That’s what college kids are like,” the older male sighed, “they’re all just trying to get some and in the process they start making poor decisions. It’s a good thing that they didn’t do anything to you tonight though. I’m sure they wouldn’t be able to face themselves in the future.”

Taemin frowned, slightly irritated by the lecture. “Just how wise are you?” he grunted sarcastically, “You’re still pretty young, mister. And why do people call you Onew? That’s a stupid name.”

“It’s a nickname,” he answered cheerily, ignoring the sarcastic remarks, “I feel like I can build a stronger bond with students when they don’t feel obligated to use honorifics.”

“Then what’s your real name?” Taemin questioned mildly, a dull pounding in the forefront of his head.

“Jinki,” Onew answered, “but you can call me Onew, too. I really don’t like my real name these days. It feels very stiff.”

“You’re stiff,” the boy commented, “you’re so uptight. Is that real or are you just being a goody-goody to impress the other teachers? You’re really clumsy too and I bet you aren’t respected very much. Am I right?”

Onew just laughed and adjusted the boy lying on his back. “You’re right, I am clumsy,” he replied, “and I guess the faculty really doesn’t respect me…but the students trust me and that’s what teachers should aim for. I’m only a goody-goody, as you put it, when it comes to my students though.”

“Does that mean you’re a badass outside of school?” Taemin chuckled, snuggling closer to the man’s warm body

“…no…,” he mumbled sheepishly, “I guess I’m not…ah, more importantly, you were saying the name ‘Mir’ before I hit those boys. Who is that?”

He opened his eyes carefully, arms tightening the tiniest bit around the man’s shoulders. “My ex…he sent me you. He told you to save me because he couldn’t come…I’m sure of it.”

Onew nodded dumbly, “Well, that might just be it! Earlier I told you that it was over between you two, but maybe I was being a bit rash.”

“You think?” Taemin asked with honest wonder in his voice.

“Yeah, I think so,” he confirmed, “because love never stops. Even when you find someone you love more, that old love will always exist. It’s just like when you say you’re falling in love. You can’t fall out of love. That doesn’t make much sense. It’s more like…you start falling at a different rate and you start falling with someone else but in the distance you can always see that old love falling too.”

The blonde grumbled, “I’m confused.”

“Bottom line,” Onew chuckled, “there’s always going to be love between you and this Mir boy. If you don’t want to give up, then don’t give up. You won’t get anywhere and if you’re already broken, then there’s nothing to lose from trying to get him back.”

“…Maybe you are wise, mister,” he cracked a faint smile, drifting to sleep.

Taemin gulped the fear down for a second time, squeezing Mir’s hand hopefully. If Onew was right, then there was nothing he could lose from begging. They were already at rock bottom and this was the last – only – thing he could do.

“I’m sorry for not being there. I’m so sorry for everything I did and didn’t do,” he whispered, unable to lift his voice, “I want you back. I really, really want you back Mir. ”

He felt time moving slower than slow as he waited for the only person he had ever loved to answer him. There was no shame in admitting it fully. Mir was the first one to reach out to him and that would never change.

“Taemin,” he finally spoke.

The kneeling boy’s breath hitched.

Mir slowly leaned down, watching those pretty eyes rise with that equally lovely face.

Their lips touched as light as a butterfly’s batting wings or a spring’s breeze or a feather’s kiss. But with a beauty like that came something equally ugly – a butterfly’s final struggle to fly on, an unknown renewal with the lukewarm winds, and finally the collapse of an angel’s wings.

“I can’t take you back Taemin.”

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A wonderful reader, holdthekeys, made this trailer at my request and it's absolutely...no words. : )
 

STRONG HEART TRAILER